So... in the blogging scene, I've been reading rumors that starting March first Google may take away Google Friend Connect for bloggers whose blogs are not powered by Google - and even those who are may lose that option which essentially means that we bloggers will lose our (awesome!) followers. A lot of my blog friends are suggesting and using Blog Lovin', and I did open an account there but have as yet to transfer my blog list over there... my question to you all is: do you know anything more about whether or not this will happen?
I don't want to miss out on keeping up with all of the blogs I follow - and, of course, I don't want to lose all of you as followers, so I just thought I'd see what everyone knew about this potential change.
My friend thinks Google is "evil."
I am beginning to agree with her.
My understanding is that yes, the GFC thing is going away for non-Blogger blogs. But once you've followed someone in GFC, whether or not they are a Blogger blog, the feed stays in your Google Reader...that is my experience anyways.
ReplyDeleteI actually only heard of it from other bloggers... it saddens me. Also, I don't really even like bloglovin'! :P Oh well, I guess I'll have to deal with it! Oh, and by the way, I am soooo sorry for not commenting on your blog lately!!! Seriously, I feel awful about it! But anyway, I really like your new header :) It's really cute!
ReplyDeleteOh this is sad. I didn't know about this. Starting to hate google, now too. I think it is such an easy way to join and follow other blogs. Why must they change this?? Grrrr. Not cool.
ReplyDeleteLike this new blog design, and your header :))
Ruth - well... I'll certainly be glad if Blogger blogs will still be able to use GFC because it is so simple. =)
ReplyDeleteTrinka - yeah, I've not used BlogLovin' yet but did create an account (if nothing else, I will use it). I wondered how it was to use - glad to know it isn't the best.
Hey, that is okay. It's great when you are able to come by and leave your thoughts - just know that I do enjoy those thoughts whenever you are able to drop by. =)
Oh! Thanks! I had a lot of fun creating this header.
Jeanine - yep, I am going to dislike Google a LOT if they take this option away because it is a really easy way to join/follow blogs that we want to keep up with. Good question - and it is definitely NOT cool. ;D
Awww! Thanks. Designing this header was a lot of fun, and I am hoping this layout will be less troublesome than the last - as much as I liked the slider, the template seemed more trouble than it was worth. Maybe sometime I'll find a better one. Until then, I like this one, too. =)
I don't know anything about this, but it doesn't surprise me -- Google is of the devil. =P
ReplyDeleteLOVE the header!
ReplyDeleteWhat you have heard is right. I've added a Feedburner button and LinkyFollowers button to my page. But I will still be using my GoogleReader to follow blogs.
Okay, I love the new look. I am not the brightest technology user...was it in some kind of in between stage before or was the only for certain browsers or what? I use Opera for much of my fun stuff, so maybe this was why I could not see the new design before. Sorry if I am super dumb.
ReplyDeleteCharity - don't you think that might be a bit... harsh? ;)
ReplyDeleteJuju - awww! Thanks! Can you all tell how much I love Caslte. ;D
Drat! I was hoping Blogger powered blogs would be left alone and still have the GFC widget - that is not cool. I've added the LinkyFollowers widget under the "follow me" drop down menu for now, but I suppose as long as GoogleReader is still usable, that is okay. I just don't use it like I do my dashboard.
Rachel - thanks! I had a lot of fun creating it.
Actually I had used a completely different template which is likely why it was messing up for your browser so much - I had other readers tell me much the same thing. I use IE and Google Chrome and the layout looked just fine in both, so I was at a loss as to how to fix the darn thing and finally just went back to a simpler layout. I do apologize for the way it probably looked in your browser - I know that can be annoying. =)
And... you are NOT dumb, girl. =)
I've heard plenty of rumors about Google taking away GFC, but I also heard from others that it isn't true. So I have no idea which is the real thing.
ReplyDeleteFor now, I'm not too worried about it. I keep a list of all the blogs I follow on a separate document, so I can always find them again. But if the loss of GFC means the loss of followers, well, I'm not sure exactly what to do. Getting a Blog Lovin' account seems more complicated.
Me, too, Jemimah. I read that blogs powered by Google would be exempt, but others are saying that isn't true, so we'll see I guess...
ReplyDeleteThanks to Juju, I did join LinkyFollowers which is more like GFC and although I've not used it much so far (she is really the only blogger I follow that has it right now), I like it o.k. Joining BlogLovin' didn't seem too complicated but I cannot say fairly whether or not I like it just yet...
Happy you stopped by, Jemimah. =)
I am seriously getting weirded out by a lot of the changes that Google is making lately--following Facebook's example it not cool in my book IMO (the way things were going seemed fine).
ReplyDeleteBtw, love the new layout Rissi! =D
I know, right!? What is WRONG with Google... I do still like a lot about their search engine and Blogger, but this does not make me a happy camper. =)
ReplyDeleteI've read that there are a lot of unhappy Facebook users, which doesn't bode well for changes to Blogger.
Awww... thanks, Lianne! I am so glad - it was fun to make, and the prior template seemed more trouble than it was worth. =D
Ok, so lemme get this straight...I use GoogleReader to keep track of the blogs I follow. Does that mean I'll lose all that or is it only the thing on my Blogger Dashboard?
ReplyDeleteThis is a huge wreck! Are we going to get some kind of warning before everything goes "poof" or should we blog about it? What should I do? Ack. :-D
I am so computer illiterate it ain't funny. :-D
Not to be a broken record, but I love the new layout. :-)
From what I know, GoogleReader will not be affected, Alexandra. Generally I just use my Blogger dashboard to keep up with everyone else's blogs because I like its form better than "reader." I am not sure if the dashboard will stop updating or not but we'll find out on March 1st (Thursday). I guess Blogger/Google are making a lot of changes - and I am just learning it all from fellow bloggers.
ReplyDeleteI've joined two new places; LinkyFollowers and BlogLovin' both of which are alternatives to keeping up with the blogs you follow. I've also added a GoogleReader button under "follow me..." on my sidebar, so those are two things you may want to think about.
Hope you can find something that works for you - and don't hesitate to ask anything else if you have more questions.
Awww! Thanks - I like to know that this layout is working better for everyone. =) I liked the slider on the last template but as I've said, it seemed more trouble than it was worth. ;D